Engine-starter.



F. ISHER.

ENGINE STARTER,

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lzivned im'. Q4, N18.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

UNITE ST FRANK E. FISI-IER, OF BETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .T anuary 10, 1918. Serial No. 211,135.

loto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a combined-engine starter and lighting generator and is particularly designed for automobiles employing an internal combustion engine as a motive power.

In apparatus of this character it is customary to provide a train of gears including an automatic engaging and releasing clutch between thearmature shaft of the motor and the armature shaft of the generator, the latter being permanently connected by a driving sprocket chain or other gearing with the crank-shaft of the engine.;-the armature shaft of the generator when driven by the motor serving only to actuate the sprocket chain or gearing carried by andconnecting-it with the crank shaft of the en 'ne to start the latter.

oincident with the operation of the engine under its own power, the driving connection between the armature shaft of the motor and the armature shaft of the generator is severed through the automatic o eration of a clutch mechanism. e

lt has been found in practice, however, that the driving chain connection between the armature shaft of the generator and the crank-shaft of the engine is frequently broken in devices of this character, due to the lash occurring from what is known as backfring of the engine.

lt is therefore one of the objects of this invention to provide means adapted to yieldingly absorb the shock produced by backtiring while cranblng the engine.

With the foregoing and othervobjects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter, described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the preoise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this speciicationz- Figure l is ,a vertical sectional View through a combined starting motor and lighting generator unit.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same1 showing the driving gear connection, and the shock absorbing means between the armature shaft of the motor and the arma- Jiure shaft of the generator. p

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the gears indicated in the preceding View, with a portion vbroken away to indicate further details of construction.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the gear shown in Fig. 3 taken at right angles thereto, with parts in section.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a starting motor and generator unit, showing a driving chain connection with the crank-shaft of an engine.

F ig. 6 is la detail perspective View illustrating the construction of the arched wheel and the tilting pawl.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings A., denotes an inclosing case housing a starting motor B, and a lighting and recharginggenerator C..

D, indicates the 'commutator of the motor; E, its armature, and F, the armature shaft journaled in ball-bearings F', F', carried by the frame.,

G, designates a pinion on the shaft F, in mesh with a gear H, loosely mounted upon the hub l', of a pinion l, in turn carried by a stub shaft d, journaled in the frame.

Between the periphery of the hub l', and the gear H, is an annular chamber H', formed by the side wall it, of the gear and a vremovable. annular rin 7a.', encircling the hnb,spaced from the side wall L, but attached to the gear.

P, are pins secured in the hub l', projecting radially therefrom into the annular chamber H, andl in diametrically opposite directions.

Q, Q, are pins projecting transversely through the annular chamber supported by the side wall of the gear and the annular ring secured to the latter.

S, S, indicate springs lodged in the annular channel the respective ends of which bear against the pins l?, and Q.

The pinion l.. meshes with a floating gear K, loosely mounted on the hub of a ratchet rammen nec. aa, 1918.

wheel L, keyed to the shaft M, of the generator. The gear K, comprises two members bolted together to provide a central chamber between its side-walls adapted to receive a tilting pawl N, to engage the ratchet wheel L.

The pawl N, is fitted with a rocker arm N', to which is engaged a yielding band spring O, encircling the hub a, of the frame in which the shaft M, is journaled.

T, denotes a driving chain connectionbetween the sprocket wheel T, carried by the armature shaft M, of the generator C, and the sprocket wheel T2, von the crank-shaft U, of the engine.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the construction and operation of the device ,will .be readily understood.

As previously indicated it is customary in devices of this character to provide a permanent driving connection T, between the generator shaft and the crank-shaft of the engine. first energized in the usual manner which through the train of gears and clutch mechanism actuates the generator shaft and thereby operates the driving chain connec' tion between it and the crank-shaftV of the engine. d

Upon the engine operating under its own power, at a relatively higher speed, the clutch mechanism automatically releases the driv-I ing connection between the generator and motor shafts in a manner well understood in this art.

lt will now be seen that if upon attempt-- ing to start the engine it should back fire the shock caused thereby .will be absorbed by the Springs S, S, .which admit of a slight yieldable rotary movement of the gear H, upon the hub L-thus relieving the driving -ch'ain of the strain that might otherwise break it. It will also be noted that in the cranking action of the device the pins P and Q will engage one another and adord an unyielding means for rotating the crank shaft in a forward direction.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. ln a device of the character described,

in combination with an internal, combustion engine and its crank-shaft; an electric motor, an electric generator, a train of gears providing a drivlng connection between the To start the engine the motor is armature shaft of the motor and the armature shaft of the generator, a driving connection between the armature shaft of the generator and the crank-shaft of the engine, having unyielding means for rotating the crank shaft in a forward direction, and resilientI means adapted to absorb the shock upon the driving connection resulting from a back fire of the engine.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination with an internal combustion engine and its crank-shaft; an electric motor, an electric generator, a driving chain connection between the armature shaft of the generator and the crank-shaft of the engine, and a train of gears connecting the armature shaft of the motor with the arma.- ture shaft ofthe generator, said train of gears including a rotatably resilient gear.

wheel, adapted to sustain a driving connection between `the coperating gear wheels of said train of gears, and to recoil sufficiently to relieve the shock upon the driving chain connection due to back firing of the en,- gine, said resilient gear wheel having unyielding means for rotating the crank shaft in a forward direction.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination with an in-ternal combustion engine and its crankshaft; an electric motor, an electric generator, a driving chain connection between the armature shaft of the generator and the crank-shaft of the engine, a train of gearsfconnecting the armature shaft of the motor with the armature shaft of the generator, said train of gears including a pinion having a projecting hub,

the gear extending transversely through the vannular chamber,`and helical springs lodged in the annular chamber and bearing against one of the radial and one of the transverse pins, said pins being also adapted for rotating the crank shaft in a fonward direction. In testimony whereof, I sign this specifi` cation in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. msnen.

Witnesses:

S. E. THOMAS, N. H. Hopen. 

